Kail way switch



(No Model.) 4

J. 0. WEST.

RAILWAY SWITCH. No 285,190. Patented Sept. 18. 1883.

F 1. Q W llllllll] z mum I u I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN C. VEST, OF CLARKSVILLE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF TIVO-THIRDS TO OTISN. BALDWIN, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-SWITCH;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,190, datedieptemher 18, 1883.

Application filed May 17, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN C. WEsna citizen ofthe United States, residing at Olarksville, in the county of- Pike andState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches for railroad tracks and to the meansemployed for operating them andits objects are to dispense with theusual frogs and guard-rails and substitute simpler and less costlydevices, adapted, also, to accommodate wheels provided with a doubleflange; and my invention consists in certain features hereinafterdescribed, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1is a plan, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of a track sufficient in extentto illustrate my invention, which is therein embodied. Fig. 3 is amodification shown in perspective.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

A represents what may be considered the main track; B, a branch track orsiding; b b,

, the stationary rails of thesiding, andathe stationary rails of themain track; A, the swing- 0, being pivotally secured thereto at c.

rails of the main track, adapted, also, to form a continuous track withthe rails of the siding, and I the single swinging rail pivoted aboutthe middle of its length and common to both tracks. The swinging railsof the main track are pivoted at a, and are jointly operated at theirfree ends by a tie-bar, A, as usual. From the tie-bar a link, A extendsto acrank-disk, Said disk may be supported upon a post or tie on acommon horizontal plane with the base of the rails, so that a paralleltrack or tracks may be laid without interfering with theswitch-operating mechanisman advantage of value in large track-yards.The disk Cis provided with a central pivot, 0 which is preferably squarein cross-section at its upper end, and with lugs c 0 between which theoperatinglever D may be placed, while its inner end may be adapted tofit the pivot, so that, when desired, the disk and its connectingmechanism may be locked by securing the lever against a (No model.)

post, E, provided with ahasp, e, or other suitable device.

From the disk 0 a connecting-rod, F, pivotally secured at 0, extends toa second similar disk, G, to which it is pivotally secured at g. Thedisk G is provided with lugs g, as shown, to adapt it to receive anoperating-arm, as D.

To the disk G is pivoted, at the point hthereon, a rod, H, extendingtothe single swing-rail I, which is pivoted at its center by means of aheaded bolt, 5, to a circular, i, spiked to a tie or other suitablefoundation. The operation is as follows:

When it is desired to switch a car from the main track to the siding,the leverD is swung outwardly less than a quarter of a circle,(according to the distance of the connecting-pin c from the center ofthe disk 0.) This throws the swing-rails A overin line with the curvedfixed rail 2) and turns the diskGnea-rlyaquarter-circle, which inturning draws out the rod H, thus throwing the single swing-rail I inline with the inner fixed rail, b. Now, to lock the rails in positionthe lever is either unshipped and again placed upon the pivot c, in aposition parallel with the track, within the lugs c, and secured to thepost E in yards where the tracks are close together, or it may be usedto operate all the swinging rails from the disk G, and may lock the maintrack in line from that disk by being secured to the same post, E, asbefore; or a second set of lugs (like 9) may be provided upon disk G.Then the lever may lock the switch in thelsiding also; or another post,as E, may be used, but set in a suitable location to lock the lever D,while the trackis connected with the siding without unshipping the leverD. Said lever D need not necessarily extend to the center of the diskbut the lugs upon said disks may be beveled inwardly to form adovetailed recess, in which the end of said lever will be securelyretained.

Instead of having the crank-disk Oprovided with crank-pivots 0 and 0*(for the links A and connectingrod F) in the same horizontal plane, saidcrank-pivots may be one above the other, as shown in Fig. 3, said figurerepresentingin perspective a portion of the track and the switch-standE. Upon the upper end of the central pivot or crank-shaft, o ,thus.construct- I00 ed, is mounted the handle D, that can be easily securedeither to the switch-stand or to a post set at'a short distancetherefrom, and in any direction to suit the location adjoining the 5track where the switch is to be placed.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim as newis 1. The combination ofthe swing-rails A, rod A link A disk 0, providedwith lugs c 0*,

IO lever D, and post E, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the disks 0 and G, provided with lugs 0, c and g,respectively, the lever D, and post E, substantially as shown 15 anddescribed.

3. The combination of the fixed rails I) b a a, single swinging rail I,rod H, and disk G, provided with the lugs g, the lever D, and post E,substantially as shown and described.

4:. The combination of the swinging rails A, 20 fixed rails a b, rods HA", link A, disks 0 G, lugs c, c", and g thereon, rod F, lever D, andpost E, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. VEST.

itnesses:

I. O. DEMPSEY, DANIEL DOUGLASS.

